48 THE PATH OF PERFECTION Moderation in Yoga 49
This is the sankhya-yoga system, as first practiced by Lord tion of material activities. Nirvana does not refer to void, but to
Kapiladeva, an incarnation of God. By sitting straight, staring , putting an end to materialistic activities. Unless one puts an end to
Steadily at the tip of one’s nose, subduing one’s mind, and ab- them, there is no question of peace. When Hiranyakasipu asked
staining from sex, one may be able to concentrate the mind on the his five-year-old son Prahlada Maharaja, ‘‘My dear boy, what is
visnu-murti Situated within the heart. When we refer to the Visnu the best thing you have thus far learned?”’ Prahlada immediately
form, or visnu-murti, we refer to Sri Krsna. replied, tat sadhu manye ’sura-varya dehinam sada samudvigna-
In this Krsna consciousness movement we are meditating dhiyam asad-grahat: ‘‘My dear father, O greatest of the demons,
directly on Sri Krsna. This is a process of practical meditation. The materialistic people are always full of anxiety because they have
members of this movement are concentrating their minds on accepted as real that which is nonpermanent.”’ The word asad-
Krsna, regardless of their particular occupation. One may be work- grahat is important because it indicates that materialists are always
ing in the garden and digging in the earth, but he is thinking, ‘‘I hankering to capture or possess something that is nonpermanent.
am cultivating beautiful roses to offer to Krsna.’’ One may be History affords us many examples. Mr. Kennedy was a very rich
cooking in the kitchen, but he is always thinking, **I am preparing man who wanted to become President, and he spent a great deal
palatable food to be offered to Krsna.’ Similarly, chanting and of money to attain that elevated position. Yet although he had a
dancing in the temple are forms of meditating on Krsna. Thus the nice wife, children, and the presidency, everything was finished
boys and girls in this Society for Krsna consciousness are perfect within a second. In the material world, people are always trying to
yogis because they are meditating on Krsna twenty-four hours a capture something that is nonpermanent. Unfortunately, people
day. We are teaching the perfect yoga system, not according to our do not come to their senses and realize, ‘“‘I am permanent.
personal whims but according to the authority of Bhagavad-gitd. I am spirit soul. Why am I hankering after something that is
Nothing is concocted or manufactured. The verses of Bhagavada- nonpermanent?”
gitd are there for all to see. The activities of the bhakti-yogis in this We are always busy acquiring comforts for this body without
movement are so molded that the practitioners cannot help but considering that today, tomorrow, or in a hundred years this body
think of Krsna at all times. “‘Meditate upon Me within the heart, will be finished. As far as the real ‘‘I’’ is concerned, ‘‘I am spirit
and make Me the ultimate goal of life,”’ Sti Krsna says. This is the soul. I have no birth. I have no death. What, then, is my proper 1
. perfect yoga system, and one who practices it prepares himself to function?’’ When we act on the material platform, we are engaged
be transferred to Krsnaloka. in bodily functions; therefore Prahlada Maharaja says that people ty
are anxious because all their activities are targeted to capturing
yunjann evam sadatmanam and possessing something nonpermanent. All living entities—
yogi niyata-manasah men, beasts, birds, or whatever—are always full of anxiety, and :
Santim nirvana-paramam this is the material disease. If we are always full of anxiety, how
mat-samstham adhigacchati can we attain peace? People may live in a very nice house, but out
front they place signs saying, ‘‘Beware of Dog,” or ‘‘No
‘‘Thus practicing control of the body, mind, and activities, the Trespassers.’” This means that although they are living comfort-
mystic transcendentalist attains to the kingdom of God [or the ably, they are anxious that someone will come and molest them.
abode of Krsna] by cessation of material existence.”’ (Bg. 6.15) Sitting in an office and earning a very good salary, a man is always
It is stated in Sanskrit in this verse, santim nirvana-paramam; thinking, ‘‘Oh, I hope I don’t lose this position.” The American
that is, one attains peace through nirvana-paramam, or the cessa- nation is very rich, but because of this, it has to maintain a great
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